Z1000ST restoration again!

[Philippe]

Hi men

yes I've started the restoration of another Z1000ST E1 (1979).
I bought her in the summer of 2020 and now it's time to restore her.
The "old lady" stood about 14 years in a garage and was dusty and rusty when I found her. She ran about 75,000 Km and a lot of parts are missing.
Just to freshen up your mind:

Last summer: the arrival

the other side

At first glance she doesn't look too bad but when you take a closer look...
A terrible exhaust, a frightening "King and Queen buddyseat", mud allover the frame and engine, an oversized crashbar and a top case coming right out of a horror movie. I exeggerate, the accessories are vintage, they come out of the eighties and nineties, they were normal then but now they have to go.
I intend to get her back to standard, not like she stood in the showroom, but acceptable.
Just a few pictures during disassembly

a few weeks ago

taken apart...

The bike is completely taken apart, the frame is repaired, the old paint and rust removed and I gave it a fresh coat of black paint today.
Since I've restored a few ST's and informed you about my working method, I don't intend to bother you again with the usual stuff.
I'll show you some particular solutions for a few "situations" I encounter during the restoration, perhaps I'll be able to provide you some ideas...

More to come soon.
GrtZ
Philippe

[chrisNI]

[Dunlop4]

Another one saved!

[deka]

you can go over all of it again for me as i am sure having a reminder is not a problem for anyone plus we do enjoy the read and the pictures. this will be a transformation to watch

[Philippe]

OK guys!
You've asked for it !
So here we go.

The frame has been cleaned "my way", that means using a grinder with a steel brush, a drill with a red nylon brush and a circular sander.
In the end I use a sandblasting device to clean the parts I can't reach with the machines above.

If you want a nice result in the end, you need to prepare the parts prior to painting them.
It takes a lot of work and time but you know what they say: no pain, no gain !

There is a bit of danger involved when using tools.
Have a look at the main stand:
we all know how dirty, greasy and rusty those can be, don't we?
I start with degreasing the part, then I use the steel brush on the angular grinder to remove most of the rust and the old paint.

the grinder with the steel brush

When using this device PLEASE use protective eye goggles.
Just look at my hand after I cleaned up the part, I can't work with gloves...but just imagine what a piece of hard steel wire can do with your eyes...

each little spot is a little wound caused by a little steel wire.
It only hurts a bit and it cures very fast, after all it's just a little wound.

Then I use a red nylon brush on a drill

the red nylon brush

the main stand after cleaning

This is the result after 30 minutes, it's not completely clean but we're allmost there.

For smaller parts I use formic acid. Also a very dangerous product !!!!

Formic acid

some smaller parts

When using it wear protective gloves, they must be acidproof !!!
Wear protective goggles and do it outside, the vapours are harmfull. I place the parts in the old toilet...nobody uses it anymore so...

The formic acid doesn't affect metals, you can put aluminium, steel, copper in the acid to remove the old paint.
After one day I take the parts out and I clean them with hot water and a bit of soap.
The acid doesn't remove rust so the job is only partially done.

If anyone would like to use the acid and you have questions about it, don't hesitate, ask!
So, that's all for today.
GrtZ
Philippe

[mick8146]

Hi Phillippe,

I do so enjoy following your restoration projects, particularly helpful as I am currently gathering parts for my own ST restoration. I am sure it will be another top job.

Cheers

Mick

[Bill P]

Hello Phillippe
Enjoying the story so far and the pictures keep them comin

Cheers Bill

[Philippe]

Hi men
it's been a while, allmost a month, since my last installment but I've been busy!
A few more pictures to keep you updated.
Remember the ant acid ? You know how hard it is to remve the paint from brake calipers?
Just have a look;

after the bath

and this is how they are after 10 minutes of treatment with a blue nylon brush

after the "brushing"

Now these are aluminium parts.
The steel parts come out allmost the same, have a look;

the headlamp shell

After the rinsement with water.

after the water

This is how the headlamp shell is now:

actual state

It's painted and ready for installation.
I managed to paint the frame and the main frameparts.
I couldn't resist to start the assembly, "boys and their toys" you know !

the frame

I assembled some more parts:

the "cockpit"

The engine is now having the "red nylon brush treatment" before painting.

the cranckcases

The alloy enginecovers are partially polished. Some need black paint and a clear coat, other only a clear coat.

Now it's time to clean up the body parts.
More news the next time.
GrtZ
Philippe

[Ultim8pc]

Excellent work as ever Philippe

[Peteypops23]

well clean!.....nowt worse than working in muck.

[Philippe]

Hi men

a little update:
the tyres arrived yesterday: Bridgestone Battlax BT46 brand new .
I mounted them immediately, which went very good and then I mounted the disc rotors.
Both wheels are ready to be fitted, they received new ball bearings just after the new paint cured.
Here's the result:

wheels ready for fitment

A new seatcover arrived from Pit Replica. Last sunday (may 16 th) I ordered it, yesterday (may 20 h) it arrived. I don't know how they manage it to get it from Asia to Belgium that fast but they do it!
The quality is excellent.
I didn't had a decent metal seat pan because they are often rotten but there was a King and Queen buddyseat on the bike when I bought it...
The glassfiber reinforced resin seat pan was OK so I removed the old foam and cover. I had decent foam from an old ST seat and with the new seat cover I was going to make a decent ST seat.

the parts

I cutted out the metal parts of an old seat pan and attached them to the polyester seat pan, some with rivets, other parts with resin and glass fiber cloth. The metal parts were derusted and treated with a zincprimer to prevent them rusting again.
This is how it looks

the metal parts attached with resin

Because the resin seat base is thicker than the metal seat base I had to do some work before I could attach the seat rubbers.
It's important that these rubbers are in place because, together with the hinges, they support the seat once installed on the bike
I used a chisel of a surface milling machine in a drill to thin the resin down.

this is the chisel

I was able to attach the rubbers and then it was time to drill a lot of holes in the seat pan in order to attach the set cover to the seat pan.
I used rivets to secure the cover, you could say I'm a official rivet counter now
This is how it looks on the underside of the seat

counting rivetts...

And this is the final result:

the result

A decent looking and usable ST seat.
Next time more to come...
GrtZ
Philippe

[steve452]

Brilliant work as usual Philippe. You seem to be working harder now that you've retired

[Philippe]

Hi Steve

that ain't working, that's fun!
I have more time now and the parts keep coming.
This weekend I go to Holland to have some repair on the lower crankcase and on the cylinderhead.

Afterwards I'll have to spend a lot of time on raising a German Shepherd puppy...our previous German shepherd, Bas, died last monday. He was 14 years and 9 months old. It's too quiet in the house without him so...a new friend comes along. Let's hope he can stay for the next 14 years.

We'll see when I can continue to have fun with the bikes.
As soon as there's progress on the ST I'll post it.
GrtZ
Philippe

[r3sc]

Photos of the puppy as well please!

[Bill P]

Hello Philippe
thanks for great write up and pictures
sorry to hear you lost your dog Bas and hope you enjoy your new one
Regards Bill

Dog pictures appreciated to